Closure for vessels.



H. D'. DEAN.

CLOSURE FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION rlLmsEPT. 21. 1915.

Patanted Mar. 1L, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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H. D. DEAN.

CLOSURE FOR VESSELS.

APPLlcAloN FILED sEPT.21. 191s.

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um M Y m m 2 T E E H s s T E E H s 2 *Z2 Amway HARRY D. DEAN, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

CLOSURE FOB VESSELS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 27, 1915. Serial No. 52,771.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY D. DEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence, State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Closures for Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to closures or stoppers for bottles, cans, or other receptacles and containers and consists of improvements in the construction and method of operation of the same. The object of my improvement is to provide a stopper or closure for closing the mouth of the bottle or other vessel to seal the contents therein while being capable of manipulation to open the mouthwithout removing the stopper from the bottle.

My invention embodies an improved and simpliiied stopper which remains attached to the bottle both in opened and closed relation to provide against its being lost or mislaid. My improvement consists essentially in arranging the stopper to adapt it to be screwed or pushed down into the interior of the bottle or other vessel to open the mouth of the latter while providing means for preventing it from obstructing thefpassage of the fluid through the mouth during the operation of filling or emptying the vessel.

The invention is fully described in the following specitication, illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts. Tn the drawings z- Figure 1 is a sectional view of the mouth of a rubber water-bag illustrating my improvement applied to the screw-stopper thereof and showing the latter in closed position;

Fig. 2, a similar view showing the stopper in open position for filling the bag;

Fig. 3, a View showing the position in which the stopper is held when the water bag is inverted to empty its contents;

Fig. et, a modification in the construction of the handle and spring detent-means for this form of stopper;

Fig. 5, a detail view of the same; and

Figs. 6, 7 and 8, views showing further modifications in the construction and method of operation of the device.

My improvement is capable of application to various and sundry types of vessels and containers such as bottles, jars, cans, boxes, tanks, etc., and is adapted for a large varietyV of purposes. It is of particular advantage for use with hotwater bottles or other vessels for household purposes as providing a most convenient stopper incapable of being lost or misplaced.

Referring to Fig. l, this is a view in section of the upper portion of a hot-water bottle B, provided with the usual conical hood or funnel E surrounding its mouth or neck N, and carrying a handle or strap H at one side. Secured in the neck of the bottle B is a thin sheet-metal sleeve or thimble T formed with interior screw-threads t, see Fig. 2. The upper rim of the thimble T is bent or flanged inwardly at t to provide a contracted opening t2 of less diameter than that of the main portion of the thimble. The thimble T is secured in the neck of the bottle B in any convenient manner as usually employed. As here shown the hood E is first slipped on over the outside of the thimble and secured in place by a suitable binding wire fw. The neck N of the bottle is then stretched around the outside and bound in place by a wire fw', and finally, a finishing collar or band b is slipped over the whole with the lower end of the strap H held thereunder while the several parts are vulcanized together.

The main portion of the stopper S is also preferably constructed of sheet metal rolled or formed up in the shape of a hollow cup having external screw-threads s adapted to fit the threads t on the interior of the thimble T. A crowned cap S is secured to the lower, open end of the stopper S in some instances to stii'fen the structure and prevent its deformation. Preferably, the top of the stopper S is formed with a shouldered portion or crown s', see Fig. 4, around which is fitted a packing-washer W of rubber of other suitable material. The top of the crown s may be flanged over slightly with a rim s2, as shown in Fig. 5, to hold the washer in place while allowing for its replacement when its efficiency is impaired from wear. A handle is mounted fast on the top of the stopper S and as shown in Figs. l and 2 takes the form of a key-like shank B, formed with an enlarged finger-ring r at its upper end. The lower end of the handle R is formed with prongs r2 riveted through the top of the stopper S Patenten nar. i2?, isis..

as indicated in Fig. 2, or it might be secured in any other suitable manner.

Secured in a transverse hole r near the bottom of the shank R is a ll-shaped wire spring V arranged with its divergent legs o, v reaching upwardly toward the ring r. it their upper ends the legs c of the spring V are 1bent inwardly to form two opposite shoulders fv, Q2 with the wire bent upwardly at o2, v2 and then inwardly again to form parallel, horizontal portions o, o3, which lie adjacent each other and project through suitable holes in the handle 1t. This arrangement provides for compressing the ends of the legs e, c of the spring V toward the handle R to adapt the shoulders o, o to pass through the contracted opening t2 at the top of the thimble '1 as later explained. Y

71' he method of operation of this embodiment of my invention isV as follows: Freferably, the screw-thrcads s and t' on the stop per S and thimble '.i are left-handed. rlherefore, when the Aiandle E is turned to the right, in the usual manner of screwing a stopper into a bottle, the stopper S will be screwed upwardly to seat the packing Washer l/V against the flange t at the top of the thimble T, as shown in Fig. 1. When the bottle is to be filled the handle it is turned to the left in the custoniary manner of removing the usual stopper, and with the present improvement the stopper S willV be screwed down into the bottle. As soon as its threads are dsengaged from those on the thimble 'I the stopper S will drop down below the neck of the bottle E and a slight push on the ring r will force the spring members o, c, through the opening t so that their shoulders fv, c will normally prevent the stopper from being forced upwardly again. Referring to Fig. 2, the enlarged ring 1" on the handlelt prevents the stopper from falling clear downr into the bottle, while the spring V holds in position below the thimble T to allow the liquid to be poured in through the neck N. After the bottle has been filled the operators linger is inserted through the ring r and the stopper S is drawn upwardly to engage its threads with those on the interior of the thimble T. Aps the handle lt is pulled upwardly the spring V will be compressed, causing the ends of its legs c, o to slide through the handle R while the shoulders o', t ride past the flange t", and the stopper can then be screwed up into place to seat its washer W against the under side of theflange to eimiect a tight seal.

When it is required to empty the bottle it is only necessary to screw the stopper down through the neck N and then force it below the thimble T until the shoulders U, or on the spring V snap into place below the flange t as before described. The bottle can then be inverted to allow the egress of its contents while the stopper is held raised away from the neck by the spring V, as illustrated in F ig. l? prevent it from 0bstructing the flow of the liquid.

ln Fi gs. and 5 1 have illustrated a modi,- fication in the construction of this form of my improved stopper in which the handle and detentspring are made in one piece. Referring to these views, the handle/l3 is constructed of spring wire coiled on itself as shown in Fig. 5 in the forni of a ring l, similar to an ordinary wire key-ring, and having its ends extending downwardly in the convergent leOs p, y). rlhe ends kof the legs p, j) are riveted through the top of the stopper S, or fastened thereto in any other convenient manner, and are bent atV ders will then engage the flange t to serve as a detent-means for preventing unwarranted movement of the stopper S after it has been once pushed down away fromY the neck of the bottle.

Fig. 6 illustrates substantially the same arrangement of handle and 'detent-spring applied to use with an unthreaded stopper or cork C. ln this embodiment the neck N of the bottle il is tapered on its interior to receive the conically-shaped cork C which fits tightly therein. The handle D is formed at its top with the coiled ring CZ having Vits ends extending downwardly in the inwardlybowed legs d, al which riveted through washers c, c on the top and bottom ofthe cork C. Each leg Z is formed with two rounded shoulders, one Z2 at'its upper end adjacent the ring al, and the other t?" at the lower end just above the top of the cork C. l/V hen the cork C is pulled up into the neck of thev bottle the shoulders di, Z3 will spring outwardly over the rim of its mouth to thus hold the cork firmly in place. By 'pushing down on the handle D the shoulders cl3, CZ can be forced down through the neck of the bottle and the upper shoulders cl2, Z2 willy the snap into position below the rim of the neck to hold the cork in depressed position as shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 shows a further modification ofthis last arrangement in which the cork is fas` tened in place by turning its handle. ln this embodiment of the invention the handle F is made in the form of a spindle having a ring 7' at the top and secured in the cork (l to adapt it to be turned. lSecured to the rim of the vbottle E is a spider-like member G having a central hub g supported by the arms g', g. rlhe spindley fis formed with projecting screw-threads' f2 fitted to the threaded bore of the hub g and a coiled spring J is arranged between the under side of the hub g and the top of the cork C. With this arrangement the cork C is drawn up into place in the neck of the bottle B by means of the ring f on the handle F and by turning the handle to engage the threads on the spindle f with those in the hub g the cork may be forced snugly into place and held firmly in position to seal the mouth of the bottle. To release the cork the handle F is given a few turns to disengage its threads from the hub g and the spring J will then force it downwardly into the bottle, as shown in Fig. 7, to hold it away from the neck-opening during the filling and emptying of the bottle.

Fig. 8 shows a method of applying my improvement to use in connection with cans, kettles, tanks, or other similar containers. In this embodiment the opening 7c of the can or tank K is tapered slightly with its smallest diameter at the top, and interiorly threaded to receive the tapered, threaded plug or stopper L. This latter may be of any convenient construction and is placed within the can before the latter has its parts soldered together. As here shown l provide two lugs Z, Z on the top of the stopper L to which is hinged the folding handle M. The handle M is enlarged at its top to prevent it from passing through the opening so that it acts to suspend the stopper just below the opening. By lifting the handle the stopper can be raised to adapt it to be screwed into the opening with which it has a wedge t to provide for a tight closure, while also preventing it from being removed therethrough. After the stopper has been screwed into place the handle M can be folded down against the top of the can so that it takes up .very little space. In filling the can with a funnel the stopper can be tilted to one side so as not to obstruct the passage of the liquid. This form of the invention is particularly well adapted for use with the gasolene-tanks of automobiles as providing a convenient closure which cannot be lost or mislaid.

It will be seen that my invention provides a very handy and efficient closure for containers of practically all types and one which is always attached thereto in convenient relation to be operated to open or close the opening without chance of its becoming lost or misplaced. Vlhen used in connection with hot-water bottles it takes the place of the usual removable stopper and avoids the necessity of employing a cord or chain attachment. My improved stopper is therefore much simpler to operate and less cumbersome and awkward to handle, besides giving a neater and more finished appearance to the article to which it is applied.

Various modifications otherY than those herein shown might be made in the form and construction of the device without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention; therefore, without Vlimiting myself to the embodiments shown and described, what I claim is l. The combination with a vessel having a contracted mouth-opening provided with interior threads, of a stopper arranged within the vessel and formed with external threads to adapt it to be screwed up into the mouth-opening, and a handle on the stopper projecting through the mouth-opening with an enlargement at its top arranged t0 rest on the rim of the opening to support the stopper within the vessel when the latter is screwed down through the opening, said handle provided with spring detents adapted to yield to pass through the rim of the opening to allow the stopper to be carried down into the vessel but also acting to engage the rim of the opening to hold the stopper away from the neck to allow the contents of the vessel to be emptied therefrom.

2. The combination with a rubber vessel having a contracted opening, of a threaded thimble secured within the opening and formed with an inturned flange at its top, a threaded stopper adapted to be screwed up into the thimble from the interior of the vessel, a packingwasher arranged to seat between the stopper and the flange on the thimble, a handle on the stopper projecting up through the thimble with an enlargement at its top adapted to overhang the rim thereof, and spring detent-means adapted to yield to allow the handle to be pulled out through the opening and also acting to engage the rim thereof to maintain the stopper in spaced relation below the thimble to provide an unobstructed passage for the liquid therethrough.

3. The combination with a vessel having a contracted neck-opening, of a threaded thimble secured within the opening and formed at the top with an inturned flange, a threaded stopper adapted to be screwed up into the thimble from the interior of the vessel to seat it against the flange, a handle on the stopper projecting up through the thimble and provided with an enlargement at the top for engaging the rim of the thimble to suspend the stopper therefrom, and spring detent means on said handle adapted to engage the rim of the thimble to hold the stopper in spaced relation below the neck while allowing the handle to be drawn up through said neck to screw the stopper thereinto.

et. The combination with a vessel having acontracted neck-opening provided with internal screw-threads, of a threaded stopper arranged within the vessel to adapt it to be screwed up into the neck, and a wire handle on the stopper formed with two branches `loelow when t's carried down into the projecting up through tlieopening inthe vessel. Y

neck and bent to form an enlargement at In testimony whereof I affix my signat-lie top for holding the stopper suspended ture in presence of two witnesses.

from the rim of the neck, said handle also HARRY D. DEAN. formed with detent shoulders on its sides Vitnesses:

adapted to engage with the rim of the neck HERBERT K. ALLARD,

to hold the stopper in spaced relation there- GEO. A. WHITE, J1.

opies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents `each, by addressing the Commissioner` o Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

